Zr-C thin films are grown on single-crystalline MgO(001) substrates via ultra-high vacuum dc magnetron sputtering of Zr target in 10 mTorr Ar-C₂H₄ gas mixtures with ethylene partial pressures (p_C2H4) between 2 × 10⁻⁷ Torr and 2 × 10⁻⁴ Torr at substrate temperature T_s = 923 K and using p_C2H4 = 2 × 10⁻⁶ Torr at 723 K ≤ T_s ≤ 1123 K. The as-deposited layer microstructure and composition are determined using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We find that the layers sputter-deposited at T_s = 923 K using the lowest p_C2H4 = 2 × 10⁻⁷ Torr are polycrystalline, close-packed hexagonal structured Zr:C solid solutions. At higher p_C2H4 = 2 × 10⁻⁶ Torr and 2 × 10⁻⁵ Torr, we obtain films composed of free‑carbon (C) and NaCl-structured ZrC_x, x ≤ 1. The amount of C increases 104% with ten-fold increase in p_C2H4 from 2 × 10⁻⁶ Torr to 2 × 10⁻⁵ Torr. At the highest p_C2H4 = 2 × 10⁻⁴ Torr, the layers are X-ray amorphous with ~49 at.% C. Films grown at 723 K ≤ T_s ≤ 1123 K using constant p_C2H4 = 2 × 10⁻⁶ Torr exhibit qualitatively similar microstructures, irrespective of T_s, composed of dense columnar ZrC_x grains surrounded by C and corrugated surfaces. Our results suggest that the compositional and microstructural evolution of Zr-C films during reactive sputter-deposition of Zr is highly sensitive to ethylene partial pressure, with as little as 0.02% of the total pressure sufficient at T_s ≥ 723 K to obtain ZrC_x films.

通过在10 mTorr Ar-C ₂ H ₄气体混合物中，乙烯分压（p _C2H4）为2×10的超高真空直流磁控溅射Zr靶材，在单晶MgO（001）衬底上生长Zr-C薄膜。^-7 乇和2×10 ^-4 乇，在基片温度Ť_小号 = 923 K和使用p _C2H4 = 2×10 ^-6 乇在723K≤  Ť_小号 ≤1123 K的所沉积层的微结构和组合物使用的是确定X射线衍射，透射电子显微镜和X射线光电子能谱。我们发现这些层在T处溅射沉积 使用最低的p _C2H4 = 2×10 ^-7  Torr时，_s = 923 K为多晶，密堆积六方结构的Zr：C固溶体。在更高的p _C2H4 = 2×10 ^-6 乇，2×10 ^-5 乇，我们获得自由碳（C）和构成的膜的NaCl结构的ZrC _X，X  ≤1 C的量增加104％与10 p _C2H4的增加_倍数从2×10 ^-6 托增加到2×10 ^-5 托。在最高p _C2H4 = 2×10 ^-4  Torr时，这些层是X射线非晶态的，C约为49 at。％。以723 K≤ Ť_小号 ≤1123说明使用恒定p _C2H4 = 2×10 ^-6 乇表现出定性类似的微结构，而不管Ť_小号，致密的柱状的ZrC构成的_X晶粒包围由C和瓦楞表面。我们的研究结果表明，Zr中的反应性溅射沉积过程中的ZrC膜的组成和微观结构的演变是乙烯分压高度敏感，用少在足够的总压为0.02％Ť_小号 ≥723 K至获得的ZrC _X电影。